Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Other deaths caused by the Cane Creek Massacre

Five people died at the Cane Creek Massacre. But at least three others died later.

Robert Robbins Church (aka Uncle Robin) died from a weakened heart due to the stress brought on by the death of the other Mormons and the death threats against others. He died on the 22nd of August. His friends and family attributed it to the stress. [This may be the Robert Church who was one of the three men to accompany President Roberts to get the bodies of Elders Gibbs and Berry. The retrieval was around the 16th and 17th of August. ]

Joseph Love "was found dead near Hinson's house" sometime after the massacre but before 18 August 1884. Originally the newspapers reported him as being a Mormon missionary, but later posted a correction. I have been unable to learn much about Joseph Love. He only appears in period newspapers.

In the 29 December 1884 Millennial Star, I found this incident:

In the early part of November, a Methodist minister was passing through the Cane Creek country, on his way from Little Lot near Shady Grove, to fill an appointment at a place beyond called Pock House, he was mistaken for a ‘Mormon’ Elder, waylaid by half a dozen mobocrats, and shot dead. It is reported that these villains felt ‘bad’ over the affair when they discovered their mistake, and that their victim was not a ‘Mormon.’

There were a couple of near misses too. In the same article of the Millennial Star, I found this this report. On August 11th 1884, while pursuing Elder Jones on his way to Shady Grove,

three of the scoundrels came across a Mr. Mobley, an avowed ‘Mormon’ enemy, who in appearance was much like Elder Jones. The mob seized Mr. Mobley, and beat him almost to death before they discovered that their victim was not the hated ‘Mormon’ preacher.

And not too long afterward, there was a report of a detective [bounty hunter] who was trying to collect on the $1,000 reward offered by Governor Bate. He went from

house to house; once I found I was over the Lewis county line, on my second day out found a man who said he knew every man that took part in the massacre.

They agreed to meet at 4:00 PM and he would turn one of the mob over directly to him. But after arriving at the right time, the detective found himself among a large number of masked men. They tied him up a proceeded to place a noose around his neck. The detective begged for his life and after nearly half an hour they agreed to let him go on condition of his leaving the state. The put a red cross on his shirt and sent him off.

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